James h



J. H. HART.

APRON.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13, 1913.

1., 1 93,5%5 o r Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

WHMMM/Q aww JAMES H. HART, OF FOREST PARK, NEW YORK.

EON.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 8, 191$.

Application filed October 13, 1913. Serial No. 794,771.

by being brought into contact with heavy' articles carried about by the workman 01- against a bench or table at which he works.

The object of the invention is to provide an apron which is simple, strong and durable, and is provided with a plurality of wearing surfaces which may be successively brought in position to take the wear, and to provide certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully described. To these ends-the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an apron embodying the invention, in use;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apron with its reinforcement shown as partly detached,

and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the fastening means for the reinforcement.

In dairies, laundries, and certain manu facturing plants, the nature of the work necessitates the wearing of aprons by the Working men as the articles which they handle are cold and wet, and in lifting and carrying them about, these articles are held against the body. To protect his clothing and keep the cold and dampness from his body, the workman must wear a heavy waterproof covering or apron, and as these aprons are subjected to heavy strains and constant frictional contact with the work, they soon become worn and torn, and are then useless as a protection against the water. Even a small tear or worn place will necessitate the discarding of the entire apron and where hundreds of these aprons are used they become-a heavy item of expense to themanufacturer.

The apron embodying this invention comprises a body 1 formed in the usual manner from a single piece of suitable fabric or other material which is preferably impervious to water. This body is rectangular in outline with the upper corners cut away along the' curved lines to form a bib portion 2 at the corners the body is provided with eyes or gromets 3 through which a cord may be passed for securing the apron about the body of the wearer. Similar gromets a are provided at the upper corners ofthe bib for the attachment of a cord to extend about the wearers neck.

Sewed or otherwise secured upon the outer face of the body substantially at the longitudinal center line thereof near the lower end of the bib, is a semi-circular piece of material 5 preferably the same as that of which the body is formed. This piece is stitched or secured to the body along its curved edge only, leaving the upperstraight side free, and thus this member forms a large pocketlocated where the greatest amount of wear will come upon the apron and where the heavy articles carried by the workman will ordinarily press against him.

A reinforcing member 6, preferably rectangular in outline is detachably secured centrally over the pocket 5, by means of fasteners 7, one of which is placed adjacent to each corner of the reinforcement. These fasteners may be of any suitable construction but are preferably of the type shown in which a male member 8 having an enlarged head is secured to the body of the apron, and

a female member 9 formed with a spring socket to receive the head, is secured to the reinforcement. By means of these snap fasteners, the reinforcement is securely held in place upon the body and may be quickly and easily detached. The reinforcement is preferably placed in a diagonal position on the body, that is it is placed with a diametrical line extending through opposite corners thereof, in coincidence with the longitudinal center line of the body and bib of the apron. One corner of the reinforcement thus extends well up upon the bib and the other corner downward at the center-ofthe body where the greatest amount of wear comes upon the apron. When this corner or portion of the reinforcement becomes worn, the reinforcement may be detached, and turned one quarter of the way around to bring its next corner into position to take 7 upper end of the body. Near the upper side 7 the wear. By thus adjusting the reinforcement the apron will wear four times as long as the ordinary apron which is made of one thickness of material. The reinforcement also covers and protects the pocket and the arrangement gives three thicknesses of ma-- terial where the water is most apt to penetrate owing to the heavy pressure of the'wet articles brought into contact With the apron at this point. To form a further protectionagainst the cold and dampness, and against the heavy pressure of the articles handled by the wearer, a padding (not shown) of any suitable material may be placed in the pocket, or articles may be carried in thepocket and will be held from falling out by the reinforcement which is buttoned over it. Obviously, changes may be made in the myself to trally thereof, and a rotatable reinforcing I member detachably secured to the body and covering the pocket in its successive positiOhS. v v i 'r 2. An apronv comprising a body having a bib portion atone end, a pocket secured to the body adjacent to'the bib portion centrally thereof, a rotatable reinforcing member of rectangular form in outline upon the body and covering the pocket with one of its corners extendin r upon the bib portion centrally thereof and an opposite corner ex tending downward upon the body below the pocket and capable of having either corner arranged upon the bib portion to present a new wearing surface, anda fastener adjacent to each corner of the member for detachably securing the member to the body and covering the pocket.

- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Y J AMES H. HART. Witnesses:

Corn BALL, Louis Gr. SALISBURY. 

